GODSMACK, Palace Theatre, 5/19/07

At first blush, Godsmack’s current theater-only tour begs this question: Has the mighty band fallen?

Based on the crowd at the Palace Theatre on Saturday, the post-grunge rockers who first broke out with a 1998 eponymous
album aren’t making a lot of new fans. Most show-goers appeared, like the band members, to be pushing 40; some had preteen
kids in tow.
But rolling into Albany with four 18-wheelers and the same number of buses, these Boston originals weren’t about to let
anyone forget they’ve landed four Grammy nominations and their own headlining arena tours.

Following a tepid performance by the competent but unformed opening act Fixer, Godsmack put the sellout crowd in a
chokehold for 90 dazzling minutes of gothic theatrics and nu-metal bombast that saw most folks on their feet the entire
show.

Godsmack is ostensibly touring in support of “IV,” their first studio album in three years, but only three songs from
“IV” made it into the set.

Instead, Godsmack dutifully covered their biggest hits, including a sermon-like rendition of the tribal “Voodoo,” and the
fight song closer, “Stand Alone,” to the crowd’s fist-pumping delight.

Kicking off with live footage of Godsmack descending from the Palace dressing rooms on a giant video screen, they made up
for a lack of pyrotechnics by cramming every square inch of the stage with a high-tech, two-level set enveloped by a
universe of intelligent lights.

Much credit is due to bassist Robbie Merrill, guitarist Tony Rombola and especially the judo-chop drumming of Shannon
Larkin for turning in album-perfect performances right from the get-go. But four songs in and suitably warmed up, it became
front man Sully Erna’s show.

Like a Kiss Army drill sergeant, Erna alternately stalked and charged across the music-video-ready set, the singer’s
ghost-pirate voice still in top condition. But his most surprising turn came when a second drum kit emerged from the set’s
middle riser. Erna, a percussionist before stepping to the fore in Godsmack, led a drum-off with Larkin that descended into
a karaoke version of Black Sabbath’s “War Pigs,” complete with lyrics on the big screen.

A show of this magnitude requires scripting, but this one never felt canned. The band’s indulgent instrumental noodling
was the only detour from the juggernaut performance â€¦ and it was a forgivable offense.

Jeffrey Mirel is a freelance writer from Albany and a regular contributor to the Times Union.